5 common eCommerce mistakes that can ruin your online web store

Ever noticed why some online stores fail miserably even after following all the guidelines regarding eCommerce best practices?

What are the reasons that ruin all the hard work, sweat and toil? What mistakes finally result in total shut shop for a new online store? Can these be factored in and avoided right at the planning level of the online business? Is there any guideline that helps an entrepreneur in identifying and avoiding the mistakes that might spell doom for his business?

Human brains are wired to remember and understand images better than written words. Images and visuals are responsible for transmitting up to 90% of information to our minds.

Knowing this basic fact can you dare to ignore product images on your website? Customers tend to abandon a site immediately if they do not find clear product image that assures them about the quality of the product. Displaying crisp, clear and well formatted product images is the sure shot way of engaging and converting your visitors into buyers.

If you want to make your online retail store a success steer clear of badly cropped and poor product images. Employ a professional photographer or pick up a good quality camera and use some easy free tools to bring your store alive with lively and high quality product images.

Add screenshot of clear product image from spareow or vanca site

2. Don’t bombard customers with information

How do you react when you log into your mailbox and find it cluttered with promotional mails from different stores where you purchased recently. Don’t you thrash majority of such mails instinctively? What if you still keep receiving a slew of such mails and alerts? Don’t you go ahead and mark such senders as SPAM?

Communication is the key to success but we all know how annoying over communication can be. Bombarding your online retail store’scustomers with mails and promotional offers can actually boomerang and make your customers turn away from your online shop.

Customers do want to be updated about the latest offers but you need to understand how frequently such information should be relayed to them. The right frequency of relays can bring an improvement in your sales whereas overdoing it can scare your customers away.

3. Don’t make false promises

Remember that one time when an online purchase became a harrowing experience for you? We all have a story where the store you ordered from made false promises and delivered shoddy products.

Online forums are replete with stories of frustrated customers who get faulty, damaged or delayed delivery despite being promised the best by online store website.

Never make false promises to your customer. Do not offer delivery dates and return policy, which is operationally not feasible. Also, do not show product images that are very good quality and supply shoddy replica of that product to your customers.

Such tricks can bring in some immediate sales but it is bound to ruin your business by earning a bad reputation for you.

4. Don’t ignore customer services

Customer service forms the core of every business more so for a new online store that is trying to make its mark in the competitive world of ecommerce. As you are not running a brick and mortar shop, your customer care department is the only human link between your clients and your business. They are the face of your brand and they need to have an understanding and right approach towards the issues faced by customers.

Clichéd as it may sound “Prevention is better than cure.” Hence, adopt a policy of proactive customer support instead of planning a damage control strategy. Keep your customers engaged by following up with them at every step of the order and delivery process. Quality customer service keeps your customers happy and they remain loyal to your brand.

Every success story that we read is an amalgamation of luck, sheer determination, courage to something differently and years of hard work. Nobody gets plain lucky without trying really hard, and the ones who stick there improvising upon their initial failures are finally able to write a success saga.

If you believe in your business idea, stick by it and create online stores that help you realise your dreams. Every new endeavour faces some hiccups and challenges, but if you work hard and keep your focus there is nothing that can stop you from succeeding.

Be realistic about your goals and never give up a project without giving your best shot at it.

Conclusion

Now that you have a detailed guideline of the do’s and don’ts to help you start an online store, go ahead and build an amazing online brand that is loved by customers.

If you have any suggestions that can help SMEs in building their online presence feel free to share them below.